In 2009, animal rights activist Bob Barker donated one million dollars to the University Law School to create Virginia's first Animal Rights Law program. Host of the popular game show "The Price is Right," Barker has spent his life advocating for animals. His commitment to animal rights and philanthropy in retirement should be commended. Barker's donation recognizes that animal rights is a hot topic in American law and society. Furthermore, humane treatment of animals should become a staple for all levels of education in our nation.
Bob Barker's donation is part of a wider Animal Rights Movement that has made significant strides over the past decade to implement ethical legislation and humane education. Already, almost half of American law schools have animal rights curricula. This donation follows a string of previous donations to other prestigious law schools, including Harvard, Columbia, Georgetown, Stanford, Duke, UCLA and Northwestern. The Animal Law Program saw its first class, "Animal Law 9040," appear in the Fall 2009 academic semester. Law students tackled the extensive scope of animal law and other ethical issues. According to Prof. Margaret Riley, head of the University Animal Rights Program, the new course focuses on "legal issues pertaining to animals, the laws that govern their treatment, as well as a number of topics that fall within the general headings 'animal law' and 'animal rights."
Those who advocate for animal rights believe that animals, as sentient beings, have a unique set of interests that must be protected from human exploitation and abuse. Issues of animal rights law include factory farming, animal experimentation, the fur trade, dog fighting, vivisection, puppy mills, hunting, animal entertainment, and other forms of animal cruelty. Under United States law, animals are valued as property and thus have historically failed to gain necessary rights protecting their interests, specifically to live free of pain.
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